POLITICAL LEADERSHIP FINAL EXAM, 2023

Answer any TWO of the following four questions, and answer them fully and in complete sentences. This is a closed book take-home exam, so do all of your studying before starting this test. It is designed for one hour, but you can take a maximum of three hours. Make sure that you e-mail me your completed exam by the ending time of our scheduled final exam, which is Tuesday, May 9 at 3 PM. I will be in class at noon on May 9, for anyone who prefers to take the test in the classroom setting.

1) The highly competent Colin Powell and Condi Rice were the first two African American Secretaries of State of the United States, a position that is fourth in line for the Presidency. Which of these two leaders do you most admire, and why and be specific? Focusing only on the one leader whom you most admire, what are 7 important leadership traits that she or he exhibited, how specifically did he or she demonstrate those traits, and explain why each trait is important in being a good leader? What leadership position in your desired career (at this point) do you aspire to, and explain fully why 3 of these traits would help you in that leadership position?

2) Senate Majority Leader Lyndon Johnson and Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court Earl Warren were regarded as successful leaders of these two branches of the federal government. Which of these two leaders do you most admire, and why and be specific? Focusing only on the one leader whom you most admire, what are 7 important leadership traits that he exhibited, how specifically did he demonstrate those traits, and explain why each trait is important in being a good leader? What leadership position in your desired career (at this point) do you aspire to, and explain fully why 3 of these traits would help you in that leadership position?

3) Two competent and “gutsy” women were successful leaders in two important positions in the federal executive branch- Michelle Obama was First Lady of the United States and Hillary Clinton was Secretary of State. Which of these two leaders do you most admire, and why and be specific? Focusing only on the one leader whom you most admire, what are 7 important leadership traits that she exhibited, how specifically did she demonstrate those traits, and explain why each trait is important in being a good leader? What leadership position in your desired career (at this point) do you aspire to, and explain fully why 3 of these traits would help you in that leadership position?

4) The lecturer identified important sources of gubernatorial success from Alan Rosenthal’s book The Best Job in Politics: Exploring How Governors Succeed as Policy Leaders. What are 9 of these sources of policy success, and explain why they are instrumental to a governor trying to enact his or her programs into state law? Give examples of how specific governors employed each of these tactics (or attributes) to increase their own influence over the legislature. If you became the chief of staff of a state governor, choose 3 of these tactics that you would especially urge your governor to focus on, and explain why those 3 tactics would be especially important for your boss’s success in enacting public policies.